This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
My days of drinking are as over as my twenties, I’m very much a one or two glasses of wine type of a gal now. It isn’t like I’m getting hammered whilst writing. I guess that like a lot of people I like to drink a glass of wine in the evening to relax, it just happens to coincide that that’s when I do my writing too.
I would never in a million years drink during a normal day at work. See the emphasis on normal, we do on occasions have exhibition openings or port tastings that require a little work time drinking (my arms are always twisted into it of course) but I’m not usually required after those to do a full blown normal day at work after. Yet for some reason I find it perfectly normal to sit down to the manuscript with drink in hand.
The funny thing is, I write quicker after the odd glass. I’m not saying I write better, but it definitely relaxes my style a little bit. I guess it is like when I go to Spain, I barely speak any of my Spanish until I’ve had a few Rioja’s then there’s no stopping me and I’m practically fluent (or at least my drunken self tells me I am).
I got to thinking and wondering if properly published authors drank whilst writing? Is it merely a confidence thing? Maybe once you get published you’re super confident in your abilities and your writing and you don’t need the odd bit of wine to spur you along to find your inner writer..
I guess I’m always intrigued as to how other unpublished writers approach writing and how they differ from published writers. Should I be a purist and treat my writing like I’m at work – only allow myself chocolate and caffeine treats? Or is just the one for some Dutch courage acceptable?